Views of Non.-Jews on Jewish Hospital Here

Important Medical Leaders
Favored Project Back in 1929

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

A bit of Detroit Jewish history, dating
back 15 years, deserves to be recalled to-
day, in view of the interest shown univer-
sally in extended hospital services.
In 1929, this writer sought the views of
several hospital directors on the question
of the need for a Jewish hospital in Detroit.
The answers received at that time assume
added significance today.
The questions addressed to the important
medical leaders of Detroit were:

1. Is there, in your opinion, a need for a
Jewish hospital from the point of view of
the community at large?
2. Is there need for a Jewish hospital
from the point of view of the Jewish
patient who seeks a Jewish environment?
3. Do you believe that the Jewish doctor
would be helpedr- professionally by the es-
tablishment of a Jewish hoSpital in Detroit?
4. Is there prejudice against the Jewish
physician in Detroit hospitals, and do you
believe that such prejudice would be elim-
inated or decreased with the establishment
of a Jewish hospital?
5. Or do you subscribe to the views Of •
some Jews that the creation of a Jewish
hospital might further impair the standing
of the Jewish physicians?

Exceedingly Interesting Replies

Dr. W. L. Babcock, director of Grace HOs-
-. pital; George E. Phillips, general superin-
tendent of Herman Kiefer Hospital, and
Sister Mary Olympia of Providence Hos-
pital submitted exceedingly interesting re7
plies.
1. In response to the first question, Sister
Mary Olympia said "Yes."
Mr. Phillips qualified his answer of "Yes"
with the statement ."because.Detroit's need
for general hospital beds is becoming in-
creasingly large."
Dr. Babcock stated: "I have been con-
vinced for several years, and have repeated
the assertion many times, that Detroit is in
need of a Jewish hospital from the view-
point of the Jewish race and the commu-
nity at large."
2. "Yes" was the answer to this question
of Dr. Babcock and Sister Mary Olympia.
Mr. Phillips, in a lengthier reply, stated:
"I believe from my expArience that a cer-
tain number would appreciate an all-Jewish
hospital providing your personnel was also
Jewish. This, of course, would bring up the
matter of Jewish 'nurses, consequently a
training school, if you wished to preserve
the integrity of a Jewish environment.,
3. Sister Mary Olympia answered "Ne
to this question:
But Dr. Babcock stated: "Decidedly. I
believe that the Jewish -doctor for years
past and at the present time has inadequate
hospital_ facilities at this command."

A Difference of Opinion

'

Mr. Phillips said in dealing with the

' question whether the Jewish doctor. would
be helped professionally through a Jewish
hospital: "My answer would be 'yes' as it
would make just one more hospital for the
training of internes and the benefits of
another hospital staff."
4. A difference of opinion arose over the
question of the existence of prejudice in
Detroit hospitals.
Sister Mary Olympia answered: "Empha-
tically, NO."
Mr. Phillips stated:
"I do not believe that there is a racial
prejudice. There may be at times a prej-
udice against a particular individual who,
perhaps, raises that question, but my own
experience with Jewish physiCians and )riy
obServation as to the personnel of the va-
rious hospital staffs in Detroit would not

MEDICINE

$100,000 Building Drive
Launched by Labor Zionists

Schaver Announces That $40,000 Already is Subscribed
Toward Fund to Erect Center to Serve as Head-
lead me to believe that a general race prej-
. quarters for All Branches of Movement
udice exists."

Highly Acceptable Colleagues
A campaign for a building fund of $100,000 for a Labor
Dr. Babcock differed with these two re- Zionist Center was inaugurated this week to be carried on
plies.. He stated:
throifghout the month of August.
"Unquestionably professional prejudices
Morris L. Schaver, chairman of the drive, has announced
exist in many Detroit hospitals on the part that the proposed labor Zionist building is intended to serve
of certain staff physicians against certain as a home for all branches of the Jewish National Workers'
Jewish physicians. In the majority of in- Alliance, Poale Zion, Pioneer
stances this is an individual equation, but Women's Organization and the
undoubtedly in the mass, influences the labor Zionist youth groups.
official appointment of Jewish physicians 'According to Mr. Schaver, the
to hospital staffs.
functioning building committee
"This Hospital (Grace), Harper Hospital, has already held several meet-
and some of the' other hospitals have Jew- ings and has secured assurances
ish physicians on their staffs. Speaking for of handsome pledges to the fund.
$40,000 Subscribed
this hospital, they are able and highly ac-
As a, _result of initial efforts, Also Denounces - President's-
ceptable colleagues. The development of a
Order Setting.Up a- Tree
Jewish_ hospital certainly will not accentu- Mr. Schaver reports, -more than
ate the personal prejudices which are usu- $40,000 already has been sub-
Port' for Refugees
ally engendered through the individual con- scribed to the fund in cash and
pledges, the contributions ranging
tacts in existing hospitals. It is believed from $150 to $5,000.
NEW YORK (JPS) — Endors-
that prejudices would decrease."
ing the views expressed by. Rep-
The
building
committee
plans
5. Sister Mary Olympia did not reply to to contact all Detroit Jews and Hamilton Fish and repudiated by
this question, perhaps in view of her nega- to solicit the support of all ele- Gov. Dewey, GOP Presidential
candidate, Scripps-Howard col-
tive answer to the last question.
ments here, in order to assure
umnist Westbrook Pegler writes:
the success of the drive.
Strong Control Urged
•
"To the extent that there is a
All Support Project
, Mr. Phillips expressed the view that he
Jewish vote . . Roosevelt's or-
It was pointed out that the ganization counts it as in the bag
did not, believe that a Jewish hospital
might further impair the standing of Jew- pressure of world events and the and Republican politicians are
ish physicians. "As I stated above," (in major place assumed by Pales- writing it off."
Pegler, who a week ago de-
answer to Question 4), he wrote, "it makes tine in the postwar planning will
the concentration of nounced the President's order
lust another place for the interne and staff necessitate
interest among young and old on
physician and I reiterate that the race fac- the issues facing the Jewish peo- setting up a "free port" for a
thousand refugees at Fort On-
,tor does not very largely enter into the ple.
tario, Oswego, N. Y., writes:
question."
"Through an appropriate cen-
"The truth is that it wasn't
Again, Dr. Babcock's reply- was more ter," Mr. Schaver stated, "we Ham Fish who injected issues of
elaborate. He stated:
hope to serve the community and clannishness, religion and race
"I see no reason why the creation of a to mobilize the Jewish' forces of into this campaign but Roose-
Jewish hospital would impair the standing Detroit in behalf of the, national velt's own Communist auxiliary
of Jewish physicians. In this connection, redemption movement. We are which went underground a few
however, a Board of Trustees of a new confident that not only all Zion- months ago and emerged' as the
Jewish hospital, which should be composed ist groups, but all Detroit Jews Political Action Committee of
the CIO."
wholly of laymen, should be warned that will support our project."
Pegler further states: "The
inter-staff prejudices and quarrels can only
Communists all. will vote for
be avoided by strong control, and the allot-
Roosevelt. Their agent in the Po-
ment of senior positions on the staff to
litical Action Committee, Sidney
Jewish physicians who, from their profes-
Hillman, has been a guest at the
By HELEN ZIGMOND
sional standing, integrity and ability are
White House where Herbert
(Copyright, 1944,
above petty professional jealousies. The
Hoover and Tom Dewey, Ameri-
Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
cans surely, never have been in-
statement • of impairment of standing made
by certain Jewish physicians, referred to in
Irving Pichel likes to perch on vited in Roosevelt's 12 years."
question 5, must have been made by phy- ladders while directing his actors.
Major William Wyler, former
. He used six of them . . . ladders,
sicians already holding staff positions."
not actors . . . while piloting director, was a nephew of the
Cites Cleveland Experience
late Carl Laemmle.
Mr. Phillips added this interesting com- "And Now Tomorrow." Presum-
ably different ones for various
ment:
camera angles.
"It may be that the type of hospital that
* * *
you would like to build and maintain would
Pertinent is Eddie Cantor's
have some difficulty in suppOrting itself if story of the woman visiting an
it was used exclusively by one race. I think army hospital. She lingered at
the city of Cleveland , had that experience the wheel-chair of a wounded GI
some years ago when the Jews attempted to Joe . . . asked how he had lost
Immediate Resuli
keep Mt. Sinai Hospital strictly a Jewish his leg. "I didn't lose it, ma'am,"
Treatments ... .
proposition, and they found that it was ad- he answered. "I traded it for a
Including .Our
Famous Massage
visable to admit patients of . any race or clear conscience!"
* * * -
$950
creed who could afford to pay their rates.
In "Mr. Winkle Goes to War"
This question, however, is one that could
Single Treatment $2
be worked out by the obtaining of informa- Edward Robinson delivers one of
tion from the several Jewish hospitals his finest character portrayals
. . . he's a middle-aged office
throughout the country."
CH. 0076 N
1246 Library
The questions raised in this comment drudge to whom the war brings
Opp.
J.
L.
Hudson's
.
.0pen Daily Monday through Friday for Ladies /
have been solved by ALL Jewish hospitals the fulfillment of his life-long
N.--../ ■ .,—.—" ■ ..—..........."......". ■ ,....... N..,"
throUghout the country, all of whom are dream.
operated on a non-sectarian basis, all ad
Miffing patients of all races or creeds and
all having on their staffs non-Jews as well
(Erev Rosh Hodesh Elul)
. as .Jews.
The Merkaz L'ehizuk Hatorah Vyahadus and the Vaad Horabonim
The symposium recapitulated here re-
requests all the Jewish people of Detroit to attend services Thursday,
August 17, at 6 p.m., at Beth Abraham Synagogue, Linwood and
calls views which are as significant today
Sturtevant.
There will be said prayers of Yom Kippur Koton for the safety
as they were 15 years ago. The attitudes - of
of the remainder of the Jews in the European horrors, for the peace,
outstanding medical directors should serve
health and safe return of our children in the armed forces fighting
for victory, and fou the world's freedom.
as a guide in hospital planning.
, The Rabbis will report about municipal ,jewish matters in general

in a human egg brought about
through test tube fertilization.
-Ten years ago Dr. Gregory -
Pincus, then at Harvard, suc-
ceeded in fertilizing rabbit eggs
in a test tube by means of simple
chemicals and one such rabbit
.was brought to full growth after
BROOKLINE, Mass. (JPS) — being implanted in a feinale rab-
The fertilization in a test tube of bit which acted as an incubator.
three human eggs, one of which
was brought to the three cell
New Penicillin Use
stage, was reported in the Atigust
issue of Science by Dr. John Rock
CHICAGO (JPS) — Experi-
and Dr. Miriam Menkin of the ments with penicillin against
Harvard Medical. School and the erysipelas, an often fatal disease,
Free Hospital for. Women.
affecting those who handle the
Two of the human ova, re- carcasses Of infected animals, are
moved from patients by surgical being eonduCted by Drs: F. R.
operations necessitated by illness, Heilman and W. E. Herrell of the
were brought to the two • cell Mayo Clinics. Test tube experi-
stage following test tube fertiliza- ments conducted by the Mayo
tion. The third "test tube baby" scientists with the technical as-
was brought to - the three cell sistance of Miss Constance Car-
stage in what . is :believed the first ter and Miss Nellie Greenberg,
instance of tri-cellular cleavage showed that among 40 mice in-

`Test Tube Baby'
In 3d Cell Stage

Friday, August II, 1944

THE JEWISH NEWS

Page Eight

Pegler Endorces
Rep. Fish's Views
On Jewish Vote

,

Our Film Folk

( REDUCE )

Lose Pounds
and Inches

6

SPA BATHS

YON! KIPPUR KOTON PRAYERS

fected with the erysipelas germ
and given penicillin, only two
died.

More Penicillin
NEW YORK (JPS)—Substi-
tution of- starch dextrin for less
plentiful lactose as a growth
medium for the Penicillin mold
to increase - commercal produc-
tion of penicillin, was suggested
by Dr. Irwin A. Pearl and Dr.
John W. Appling of the Institute
of Paper Chemistry, Science
News Letter reports.

In view of the fact _that Papa
Winchell has 'had some theatrical
experience (he was a Gus Ed-
wards: Kiddie in • the days of
yore), he is west-coasting to aid
daughter Walda in launching her
career ship. The rest of his
menage accompanied ,him, in-
cluding 8-year-old sonny and the
newly-adopted Chinese baby.

and about Kashruth in particular.
well-known Torah leader will address the assembly.
The cantors of Detroit synagogues will lead in the prayers. There
will be no collections, no solicitations, no appeals.

VAAD HORABONIM (Council of Orthodox Rabbis)
MERKAZ L'CHIZUK HATORAH VYAHADUS.